An image processing technique is known to be used by an inspection device or a measurement device in a manufacturing site. For example, a device that performs positioning by using an image processing technique so as to process or inspect a target object is known.
Patent Document 1 describes a manufacturing device that is configured to perform positioning by controlling a conveying section based on the position of a positioning mark.
Also, Patent Document 2 describes a control system that is configured to position a target object at a target position by using image data that is acquired by capturing an image of the target object provided with a characteristic portion for positioning.
[Patent Document 1] JP 2000-180810 A (published on Jun. 30, 2000)
[Patent Document 2] JP 2014-203365 A (published on Oct. 27, 2014)
[Patent Document 3] JP 2004-198124 A (published on Jul. 15, 2004)
[Patent Document 4] JPH 11-85235 A (published on Mar. 30, 1999)
[Patent Document 5] JP 2012-242315 A (published on Dec. 10, 2012)
[Patent Document 6] JP 2014-137815 A (published on Jul. 28, 2014)
To increase the accuracy of positioning or inspection, the resolution of an imaging device has to be increased; that is, the resolution of the imaging device has to be enhanced. However, if the resolution of the imaging device is enhanced, the number of pixels is increased, and the image transfer time and the image processing time are thereby increased. A specific description will be given with reference to FIG. 17. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between the number of pixels and a processing time. As illustrated in FIG. 17, the processing time is increased as the number of pixels is increased from 300,000 to 12 million.
Accordingly, accuracy enhancement and speed enhancement have a trade-off relationship, and it is difficult to achieve a good balance between the two.
Moreover, the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above do not take any measures to achieve both enhancement of accuracy and reduction in the processing time.